FarmVR bridges gap between city and country

Officially launched at the recent Rockhampton Show, the innovative FarmVR technology caught the attention of many curious onlookers, both young and old alike.

It was the brainchild of digital entrepreneur Tim Gentle, who wanted to showcase Australian farming practices not just to local city folks but to an international audience as well.

Gentle hails from a dairy farming family, and grew up living and working in various farms and livestock operations across the country.

"Having travelled through most parts of Australia, I have seen first-hand the amazing job our farmers do to feed us," he says to farmmachinerysales.com.au.

"FarmVR helps to tell that story in an exciting and immersive way. It is a combination of my experience working on dairy farms and cattle stations, coupled with 10 years of digital development and education.

"I don't know anyone else doing this, so I have had to blaze my own trail!"

FarmVR took Gentle 18 months to develop, and was captured at various locations including cattle stations, vineyards and dairy farms.

Users can view FarmVR on various devices including mobile devices, laptops and desktops. Those with a VR headset such as Google Cardboard can further immerse themselves in the experience.

From the comfort of their own living rooms, users can participate in a range of agricultural activities including mustering cattle and riding tractors.

In addition to educating Australians on the role agriculture plays in society, FarmVR is also designed to inform export markets on how we grow our food, and how "clean and green" we are.

"FarmVR also highlights potential agricultural career pathways for adults to consider," Gentle says.

"By immersing themselves into what it's like to work on the land, they can see the range of technology they can be exposed to, or watch a lamb being born!"

Gentle is currently working with several schools and organisations around the country, including the Queensland Agricultural Training Colleges and Urrbrae Agricultural High School (SA), to create specific experiences and teaching programs in line with their curriculum.

He hopes to create hundreds of experiences representing all commodities soon and expand internationally one day.

You can catch FarmVR at the Bendigo Sheep Show from July 14 to 16, and the Perth Royal Show from September 23 to 30.

In the meantime, get a taste of FarmVR and step into Moxey Farms in the Lachlan Valley, New South Wales, in the video below.

It’s the largest single site dairy farming operation in Australia with a land portfolio covering 2700ha which includes 5,500 milking cows that produce approximately 70 million litres of milk annually.